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Wellcome
Wellcome Early-Career Awards
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Funding for early-career researchers to undertake independent research within the Discovery Research remit, with potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and develop toward leading an independent research programme.
Do I qualify 11 requirements for everyone + route options
Do I qualify
The eligibility details below come from the captured scholarship source. Compare them with your circumstances and the provider page.
Everyone needs
- ability to conduct independent, original research making a meaningful contribution to knowledge
- career stage no more than 3 years of postdoctoral experience at submission unless other factors impacted the research career
- at least 80% of research time on the proposed project; generally no more than 20% on non-research activities;…
- profession health professionals continuing clinical activities must be registered and licensed by the relevant professio… Exact current official rule
- institution sponsor at administering organisation with established post or honorary academic appointment for award duration Exact current official rule
- institution identify a mentor for the award period with a track record in training and mentorship
- institution eligible administering organisation able to sign Wellcome grant conditions Exact current official rule
- Not open to: career stage existing tenured salaried post lasting for award duration, except where based in a low- or middle-income coun…
+3 more requirements
- Not open to: application to this scheme already submitted and awaiting a decision Exact current official rule
- Not open to: holds, previously held, or accepted an offer for an equivalent award at this career stage Exact current official rule
- Not open to: intends to carry out activities involving transfer of grant funds into mainland China Exact current official rule
These depend on how you qualify. The provider describes 4 ways, and you will not need all of them. The official page shows which applies to you.
- degree PhD or equivalent higher research degree completed Exact current official rule
- degree thesis defence or Viva passed by application submission Exact current official rule
- career stage at least 4 years of PhD-equivalent research experience Exact current official rule
- career stage undergraduate- and Master's-degree research does not count toward equivalent research experience Exact current official rule
- degree must not have started a PhD or equivalent higher research degree Exact current official rule
- career stage equivalent research experience or higher research degree includes substantial original research and specified…
- institution United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, eligible low- or middle-income countries excluding India and mainland China
- applications submitted on or before 28 October 2026 use current location eligibility requirements Exact current official rule
+1 more requirements
- institution from 29 October 2026: United Kingdom and eligible low- and middle-income countries in Africa, South Asia and … Exact current official rule
Preferences and flexible criteria (1)
- institution move away from current research environment; moving organisations is not essential
Not open to:
You have an existing tenured (salaried) post for the duration of the award (unless based in a low- or middle-income country). You can only relinquish an existing tenured (salaried) post to take up an Early-Career Award if your current post is not research-based.; You have made an application to this…
You have an existing tenured (salaried) post for the duration of the award (unless based in a low- or middle-income country). You can only relinquish an existing tenured (salaried) post to take up an Early-Career Award if your current post is not research-based.; You have made an application to this scheme and you are waiting for a decision.; You hold, have held, or have accepted an offer for an equivalent award at this career stage. An equivalent award does not include short-term funding.; You cannot apply if you intend to carry out activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China.Show the full text
- Fields of study
- Any
What's covered Partial funding
- Funding type
- Partial funding
- Funding details
- A Wellcome Early-Career Award provides a salary for the grantholder and up to £400,000 for research expenses.; We will fund the total cost of your salary for the entire period of the grant.; up to £400,000 for research expenses; up to £400,000 for research expenses.
- Duration
- 4+ years
- Host country
- United Kingdom
- Host institution
- An eligible administering/host organisation: a not-for-profit higher education institution, research institute or healthcare organisation.
What I need Not listed here
- In-person requirements
- Optional in-person activity
The full document list lives on the official page — we do not republish it, because it changes between cycles.
Apply On wellcome.org
How to apply
The application information below summarizes the captured scholarship source. Review the provider page before submitting.
- Open the Wellcome Funding platform and log in to an existing account or create one. Required
- Complete the application form through the Wellcome Funding platform. Required
- Submit the completed application to the appropriate approver at your administering organisation for review. Required
- Allow your administering organisation to approve and submit the final application to Wellcome. Required
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Deadline notes
- No deadline: applications can be submitted at any time (shortlisting three times a year). Applications based at organisations outside the UK and low- and middle-income countries in Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia (for example in the Palestinian Territories or Ireland) are accepted only if submitted on or before 28 October 2026.
- Application cycle
- Rolling applications
- Notes
- The applicant completes their application and sends it to the administering organisation for review and approval; the administering organisation submits the final application to Wellcome. Location eligibility changes on 29 October 2026, so the applicable rule depends on the application submission date.
Details to confirm
- Some hard eligibility requirements are incomplete in the captured source.
- Some eligibility wording is ambiguous in the source — read the exact wording on the official page.
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